Egg product and process for producing the same



Patented a. 9,1928.

* 1,6826% FFICEQ UNITED- STATES PATIENT o mam x. 22mm,

or cmcae'o, m rrors.-

' not: recover m-rBocEss-roarnonucmem more micro-organisms therein to a' negligible number and prevent putrefaction and other .forms-of microbial decomposition.

V In the production of frozen eggs the egg content 'is removed from the shell and the physical characteristics are observed with reference to odor and consistency. If the egg product shows signs ofdecoinnosition it is discarded. The eggs of an edible nature are "thrown into a can and then mixed.

' If it is desired to obtain yolks only, the' yolks are separated from the'whites and the yolks and whites' placed respectively in separate containers and mixed. The said egg products are then sometimes, in this.

fresh state and without further treatment,

placed in refrigeration in order to freeze them to a solid mass so as to keep them from spoiling. When it is desired to use same, the cans are taken out'of the refrigerating room and allowed to thaw out at ordinary room temperatures. This takes a long period oftime depending upon the temperature of the room and usually from twentyfour'to thirty hours. As soon as the eggs are removed from the shell during the period of preparing the egg for the freezing process as well as during. the period of thawing and after the eggs have .been thawed out, they are subject to a bacterial spoilage. Eggs even of the freshest kind contain a 40. considerable number of organisms which enter the" egg shellfrom extraneous sources and penetrate to the egg substance through the pores of the shell and even with very gi'eat care the contents of the egg may be contaminated with various organisms from the fingers of the operators touching the shell. -While these organisms may not be harmful to health, still if theyare allowed to act upon the egg substance to decompose the to same, it will become putrid and decomposed and unfit for human consumption.

I have found that this bacterial spoilage and putrefaction of the said-eggs may be prevented by treatment with a substance oi an acid nature ora substar ce which is. ca-

"pable of giving off hydrogen ions when in 24, 1926. Serial No. $8,995.

7 contact with egg materiaL substance should be preferably of an edible nature. I

have also found that in order to prevent bacterial spoilage'of. egg substances before freezing as well as after freezing, it is desirable to treat the egg :substance with a certain amount of, acid material of suflici'ent quantity in order to reduce the bacteria and other microorganisms therein to prevent bacterial decdmposition. The amount added should be suflicient to liberate enough hydrogen ions to prevent action of the bacteria on the yoke substance at ordinary room m temperatures.

- In the prefer-lied form of my invention I a treat or combine the yoke or the mixed eggs with an acid of the above character, pref-' crably' acetic, although other equivalent acids of the above character may be employed, such as citric, phosphoric, tartaric, lactic, malic or succinic. I do not limit myselfto acids, as any other substance which contains the acids, such as concentratedlemon juice or powdered lemon juice, may be added as well as any other substance of an edible nature which is capable of giving hydrogen ions when contacting with the egg substance. the case of egg substance I add an amount of acid in sufiicient quantity so as' to reduce the bacteria or other micro-organisms to a negligible number and-to prevent bacterial decomposition at ordinary room temperatures. I r

Acid treated yolk of the character hereinreferred to, after freezing and thawing, is

of a high'viscosity and low mobility, and

is a 'firm jelly-like mass, Where greater mobility is desired so that the product will flow and be more readily incorporated with other ingredients in its final use, the acid treated product may be modified to a desirable extent as pointed outfor instancein my copending application Serial No. 156,997, filed of even date herewith.

Referring now, forexample, to one form of practicing my invention, I take so-called commercial egg yolk which is produced by' separating the yolk from the white and then mlxing the yolks into a mass. In such a product there is usually a relatively small amount of the white adhering to the yolk and with the exercise of ordinary care it is possible to obtain a product which con sists essentially of yolks proper, with only a small amount of the white adhering to it. To a batch of ninety-nine and twotenths (99.2) pounds 'of sueh commercial yolk, for example,fI add eight-tenths (.8)

of a pound ofacetic abid for'its equivalent,-

mixing the same in a suitable thoroughy his product may now bepoured mixer.

into cans and frozen or it may be further treated with other substances to modify the normal viscosity of the final product, that is the viscosity ofzthe roduct after it has been frozenand thawe for subsequent use.

In the case of white, ,or whole egg, or any suitable mixture of yolk and white, a similar amount. of acid is preferably used, although I do not limit'myself to this quantity; The

acid may also be added dissolved in water,v

ingredients and proportions or methods of mixing described, but aim to cover all that which comes -.within the spirit and scope of the. appended claims.

Furthermore, I contemplate modifying the acid treated yolk sons to secure other desirable characteristics such as by the use of salt, as pointed out. and claimed in my application Serial No. 156,997, or-by the use of sugar and salt as pointed out and claimed in my application Serial'No. 156,998,

v by-Uni'ted States Letters Patent is both filed of even date herewith, and in other Ways, i

What I claim as new and desire to secure I. The method of manufacturing a frozen egg substance consisting of adding to eggcontent an edible substance producing hydrogen ions when in contact .with egg material and insufficient proportion to materially modify the hysical character-isticof the ultimate "pro not after freezing and thawing and to substantially reduce bac: f terialrdecomposition when the egg content is at'norma-l room temperature before freez-- ing andv during thawing, final mixture. v

2. The method ofmanufacturing a frozen egg substance consisting of adding .to' egg and freezing the yolk an edible acid substance producing hydrogenions when in contact with egg material andin-suflicient rially modify. the hysical characteristic of rop'ortion to matetheultimate pro uct after freezing and I cient proportion to materially modify 7 In witness whereof,

thawing and to substantially reduce bacterial decomposition when the egg yolk is at normal room temperature before freezing and during thawing, and freezing the final mixture. 1 I

3, The method of treating an' egg sub-,

stance consisting of adding to egg yolk substantially one-half to one and one-half per cent by weight of acetic acid and freezing the final mixture and. keepin g frozen until desired for use and then thawing.

As a new article-of manufacture, a'

"bined with an edible substance producing 4. frozen product including egg content comhydrogen ions when in contact with .egg

content and in suflieient proportion to materially modify the the ultimate pro thawing and to substantially reduce bacterial decomposition when the egg content is thawed out at normal room temperature.

5. As a new article of manufacture, a frozen product including egg yolk combined (physical characteristic of with an edible acidand in suflicient proportion to materially modify the; physical characteristic of the ultimateiproduct after freezmg and thawing and 'to substantially reduce decomposition when the egg yolk is thawed out 'at-norm'al room temperature.

6. The method of producing. an egg subuct after freezing and stance of a soft consistency by treating egg yolk with an edible a'cid, capableof andin sulficient quantity to reduce bacterial action at ordinary room temperature and produce an ultimate product having a soft consistency after freezing and thawing, freezing the product until desired for use, and then thawing-it. I

' v 7. As a new article of manufacture, .an; egg-product in a soft state, preliminarily frozen, and including eg contentcombined capahle of and in .sufiithe physical characteristic of the ultimate roduct and substantially reduce bacteria dewith an .dible acid ing thawi composition when'the product is at normal room temperature before freezin'g and dur 8. As anew article of manufacture, an

egg product ina soft state, reliminaril rozen, and includin essentia y eg yolk combined with an e ible acid cap'aile of and in suflicient proportion to materially modify the. physical characteristic of the ultimate pro not and substantially reduce bacterial decomposition when the product' is at normal room temperature before freez ing and during thawin my name 'this 18th day of December, aLBnRT K. EPSTEIN.

f h'ereunto subscribe 

